


Thunderstorms

by orphan_account



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gabriel is a good boyfriend, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Oneshot, Panic Attack, Sam Winchester Needs a Hug, Sam Winchester is Not Okay, gabriel is actually serious for once, hurt comfort, sabriel cuddles, sam probably needs therapy but theres really no therapists for being tortured by satan so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:54:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24730042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Ever since Lucifer's cage, Sam has been afraid of thunder. One night, after a particularly bad nightmare during a storm, Sam starts panicking. Who better to try to help than his silly and loving boyfriend Gabriel?
Relationships: Gabriel/Sam Winchester, Sabriel - Relationship
Comments: 8
Kudos: 91





	Thunderstorms

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I did my best, but this was written at two am and is not edited. I had to stop a few times because I wrote this based on my anxiety/panic attacks, and it was giving me anxiety. The writing is messy because anxiety. This was probably a bad idea. But hey, at least it's realistic I guess. Ending's a bit rushed, I didn't feel like actually panicking so...

Sam had never been afraid of thunder as a child. Even before he knew of the creatures in the dark, thunder had seemed insignificant to him, just a sound in a world of sounds. There were more reasonable things to be afraid of. Even as a child, he’d followed logic, although he wasn’t sure if that had been his own logic or just another thought his father had drilled into his head. 

Even now, it wasn’t the thunder Sam was afraid of, but the memories it brought back. It had been seven years since he was trapped with Lucifer in the cage. The memories didn’t bother him as much, and he didn’t often have nightmares anymore. But thunder always made him remember. 

Even in Lucifer’s illusions, his _games_ where he made Sam think he was safe, with his friends and his family, there had always been thunder in the background from the cage. 

_Rusted iron walls rose high above him. He scratched and clawed at them, desperately trying to escape. He couldn’t, and he knew, but he had to try anyways. Michael would only keep Lucifer occupied for so long before he came back to Sam_

_Lightning struck through the blackness, illuminating his enemy. Lucifer had no form in the cage, none that Sam could remember, at least, but in his dreams, he still looked like his vessel before he had fallen into Hell. He looked like Sam, and it scared the life out of him._

_Thunder crashed as he turned back to Sam. He saw his own face staring back at him with a malicious smile. Sam cowered back pressed against the wall and arms raised over his eyes, any pretense of being unafraid long gone._

_“Why are you hiding, Sammy? Don’t you like our little games? Who should I pretend to be next? Your brother? Lovely little Jessica? Your father? Or should I just be me, rip you apart all by myself?”_

Sam woke up in a cold sweat, gasping. He shoved off the tangled blankets he was covered in. He pulled his knees to his chin, making himself as small as possible, and started rocking himself back and forth. He couldn’t stop the tears that rolled down his cheeks as he tried to slow his breathing. 

He couldn’t see the rain from the windowless bunker, but he heard it as it fell above him. 

_Boom_

Lucifer staring at him through his own eyes 

_Crash_

Adam hiding from Lucifer’s rage while Sam was powerless to protect him. 

_Bang_

… Gabriel? He had opened his eyes to see two honey brown ones staring back at him. 

Sam jumped back, nearly smashing into his headboard. He would have too, if the archangel hadn’t caught him. 

“Hey, take it easy Samsquach. It’s just me, I’m not going to hurt you.” 

Sam had a vague thought, involving not wanting Gabriel to see him like this and being embarrassed, but he was too panicked to really register it. 

“Gabe,” He choked out. He lurched towards him, trying to research him, but he was dizzy from hyperventilating. He missed his mark and accidentally rolled off the bed, letting out a cry of surprise. He noticed a sharp pain in his shoulder before curling into himself again, gasping and crying. He couldn’t think, he couldn’t breathe, he wasn’t even sure where he was. All he knew was that he was dying, there was no other explanation, the world was spinning and his eyes were burning and everything was spiraling out of control and he was dying, he must be dying, that’s why his head felt so light and why he couldn’t think and why he was scared, so _scared,_ because he was dying. 

He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting to die, but he didn’t. Everything kept happening, his chest kept heaving and he kept sobbing and gasping. The rain outside was too loud, it hurt, and despite his desperate chokes for air he wasn’t getting any. 

“Sammy, listen to me, you are okay. Lucifer isn’t here. You’re in the Bunker, in your room, and I need you to look at me. Can you look at me, please?” 

It was Gabriel’s voice, he knew that. But Lucifer had tricked him before, he’d open his eyes, and it would be Lucifer in front of him, not Gabriel. 

“Love, you’re thinking loud. You’re not dying, and I’m not Lucifer. I swear it’s me, just open your eyes.” 

Sam was scared. He didn’t want to open his eyes, he wanted to yell at Lucifer, or Gabriel or whoever it was to go away, to leave him the hell alone, that he was fine. He knew he wasn’t fine; he knew he needed help, but he didn’t want it. He couldn’t yell though; he couldn’t even breathe. He squeezed his eyes tighter and titled his head up, still desperately trying to breathe. He wasn’t getting enough air, his thoughts were getting fuzzier. 

“Sam, you’re going to pass out. You need to let me help you.” 

Gabriel sounded far away as Sam finally opened his eyes, blinking away tears. It wasn’t Lucifer in front of him, just Gabe. He saw worry in his eyes, more sincerely than any illusion he remembered. 

“See? Just me. Let me help you, okay?” 

Sam nodded. 

“W – Wat – Wa’er” He managed to get past his sobs. 

“You sure you’re gonna be able to drink any?” 

“Pl – Please” 

Gabriel snapped his fingers, watching Sam sadly. A glass of water appeared in his other hand and Sam reached out to grab it. His hands were shaking. 

“I’m going to touch you, alright?” 

Sam nodded as he gripped the glass, trying to keep it steady between his hands. The archangel covered Sam’s hands with his own, smaller hands, and steadied the glass Sam brought it towards himself. He choked as he tried to drink, coughing and losing most of the water, but he tried to drink anyways. Gabriel controlled his hands slightly, pulling it back when he was worried about him drinking too much of it. After much coughing and spilling, he could finally breathe a little more. Not nearly enough, but he wouldn’t pass out. His desperate pants finally brought him air, and his grip on reality became a little stronger. He was on his floor in his room, Gabriel was holding his hands. The rain was quieter. The worst of it seemed to be over. 

“There you go. See, you’re okay, everything is going to be fine.” Gabe comforted, rubbing his thumb back and forth against Sam’s handing soothingly. “This is real. I’m real” he answered Sam’s unspoken question. 

“Gabe…” Sam cried, again, not knowing how to ask him for help. Luckily, his boyfriend seemed to understand, and he moved closer. He gathered Sam’s into his arms as the younger curled into him. Gabriel rocked him rhythmically, similar to Sam had been rocking himself earlier, and breathed slowly. 

“Breathe, Sammy. You need to breathe.” 

He tried to copy Gabe’s breathing, and slowly he went from gasping to shuddering breaths of air. Gabe started humming a soft tune, like a lullaby, as Sam cried into his chest. He was still shaking, but he knew he was alive now. He was alive and safe in Gabriel’s arms, right where he was supposed to be. 

“I’m going to pick you up and lay with you in bed, is that okay?” The angel asked, wrapping his arms around Sam to support him better. 

“’s fine,” Sam breathed, keeping his head buried in Gabriel’s soft shirt. He felt himself being lifted off the ground and placed onto the bed. Gabe let go of him, leaving Sam alone on the bed, until it dipped beside him. He opened his eyes to see his angel lying beside him, reaching to pull Sammy close. Sam rested his head on Gabriel’s chest as he wiped the tears from his face. 

“Do you need anything else?” He asked, placing a kiss on Sam’s head before starting to play with his hair. 

“Just stay with me, please.” 

“Of course.” 

“Hey Gabe?” 

“Yeah?” 

“How’d you know I needed you?” 

“You didn’t know? You prayed to me, so I came.” 

“Oh. Thank you.” 

“Anytime. Hey, Sammy?” 

“Yeah?” 

“You know you’re not bothering me, right? You’re thinking loud still, and I promise you’re not. I love you, and I’d do anything to help you.” 

“I love you too,” Sam said. There was so much more he wanted to say, so much he was too tired to express even if he knew how to. He hoped Gabriel would understand, he tried to pray his gratitude, his love, everything he didn’t know how tell him. 

Gabriel hummed gently, smiling at his hunter. 

“Sleep,” he whispered. Tired from his ordeal, and held comfortably in Gabe’s arms, it didn’t take long for Sam to drift off. And this time he had pleasant dreams, despite the thunder. It was all the things Gabriel knew he loved, peaceful calming things. He knew he’d have nightmares again another night, but as long as he had his angel watching over him, he’d be okay.


End file.
